


I'll always be with you.

by Lkcsi



Series: Glowing Winds of Windermere's Princes [2]
Category: Macross Delta
Genre: Gen, Sibling Fluff, Warning: intrusive thoughts, background gayness, by the way what exactly is Morris' surname, mainly because of the frequency of keith's visits being much higher than it actually does in canon, possibly canon-noncompliant, the kana in the manga can be read as harvard, warning: mentions of hazing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-01-25 18:11:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18579865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lkcsi/pseuds/Lkcsi
Summary: The little Heinz can't let his older brother Keith go. Keith has to think of a way to help his little baby brother cope with him leaving the palace, and comes up with a solution: making a plush doll of himself as a gift to the little prince.





	1. Home is where the heart is

 

Keith would have been back in the knights' school dorms much earlier if it weren't for Heinz currently clinging to his left leg. He could still walk with the additional weight on his leg--for him it was truly nothing compared to those dreaded 5-kilometer runs every other morning at the masters' behest--but he couldn't bear the weight of tearful pleas. He willed his leg to budge, but those little arms tightened their hold. Heinz even wrapped his right leg around it, causing him to stumble a bit whenever Keith wiggled his leg.

"Keif! No! Stay here!" Heinz cried out, wiping his face on his brother's boot and sniffling. His runes were darkened by blue, and coupled with those watery eyes, Keith could not resist anymore. He finally scooped up the little boy up and swayed a bit, singing a little song. Still bawling a bit, Heinz rubbed his eyes and wiped his face on Keith's shoulder. Short arms wrapped around his brother's neck and he cried a bit more. Keith continued swaying in place, rocking him back and forth, until he could no longer hear him sob. He slowly made his way to the little prince's bed to sit down.

"Heinz, little brother, it's all okay."

Heinz shook his head, and then began to softly cry again. A warm hand rubbed and patted his little back, patiently and lovingly. Small kisses were placed on the top of his head until he began to calm down.

"Feeling better now, Heinzy?"

The nickname brought Heinz' gaze up to meet his brother's. His cheeks were so damp with tears and his eyes were reddened. "Stay here."

This soft plea was like a punch to the gut. Of course he wanted to stay in Darwent's Palace and care for and play with his little brother, but the thought of everything else in the castle made him grit his teeth. His distant father- no, the king couldn't even bear to look at him. The nobles who might see him in the castle laughed amongst themselves at the sight of the bastard prince with the tainted royal blood. The servants had been suspecting him of political ulterior motives ever since he renounced his claim to the throne but was allowed to keep some princely privileges. Sometimes, when he'd visit Heinz, even with the express permission of the Princess Consort, he could feel those intense gazes at him. 

All eyes on him. 

Judging. Cautious. 

He'd always cursed his existence.  _Why was I even born-_

A small tug on his rune disrupted his imminent intrusive thoughts, and he finally blinked to see his little brother's wide and innocent eyes, still watery and bloodshot, but innocent and loving nonetheless. He let out a sigh. In them he could only see pure love, even some understanding of what he had been thinking about too. None of the masks betraying a deepened hostility. He responded by tugging a little on Heinz' rune, and then both giggled when Heinz grabbed the soft part of the older boy's ear and pulled; it was their little game together, pulling a little on each other's runes, and then their ears. Keith himself was not so sure where the game came from, but Heinz had always been interested in pulling runes since he was still a newborn. 

He smiled when he recalled the memory of himself holding Heinz for the first time, the infant prince, and also meeting his curious gaze for the first time, before entering a new world of pain when the baby had his rune in a death grip and pulled down. He couldn't stifle a chuckle when he recalled what transpired after. Roid had been there too and offered to hold the baby for a while, before being victimized immediately by Heinz pulling on both of his runes. On top of that, upon releasing his runes after a few agonizing seconds, his glasses were also stolen away by the little Heinz, and thankfully they hadn't broken. Thankfully the Princess was generous enough to let them have ice bags for the entire afternoon and no babies were dropped. 

"Keify. I love you very very very very much." He hugged him again, this time rubbing his cheek on Keith's. He could still feel some dampness on his soft cheek. "You were sad."

"Sad... yes. I am sad because I can't stay here with you all the time."

Heinz hummed softly. "Me too. Why do you awways have to go away?"

"Because... I'm not supposed to..." he faltered when Heinz' expression changed from sad curiosity to surprise. How could he explain the intricacies and perils of being only a half-brother to him? How could he explain how his father treated him, how the nobility perceived him, and how he felt that everyone didn't want him at all?

He furrowed his brows in thought. "But... pwince... right? If I'm pwince of Winn... Winndamee, you are."

Keith melted a bit at the little attempt to say "Windermere", and so he rubbed his back again. "Yes, maybe you could say that, but... I'm not... really... a prince."

"Huh?" Keith could almost see the tiny question mark in Heinz' little mind.

"It's a long story. I-"

"Why?" He insisted.

"I'm not sure if you could understand, baby brother. I also used to live here before you were born. I guess you can just say a lot of people here really don't like me. I'd say they quite hate me."

Heinz gasped. "Who doesn't like appu king Keif?" He pursed his lips and wondered who'd hate his most amazing big brother, and why they would hate the most amazing person in the world. When he reached no answer, he looked back up to Keith. "Keify. I really really really really really love you. I love you. I love you so so much. Love you. Love. Only love for Keify."

Keith felt the thorns in his heart plucked out and replaced by the softest fluff when Heinz squeezed and kissed his cheeks. "Heinz, I love you, too. I'm sorry I can't stay with you here. I live in the dormitories of Darwent's Knight School now, with the best idiots in my life."

"What's 'idiots'?"

"Oh, actually it means dumb, but they're, uh, not actually dumb. Roid's really smart, you see, he's way better at me with most things. Morris is also better than me in sword routines, but he sometimes doesn't know boundaries. I think only Bogue's the closest one to being an idiot, but it's more like he just is too stubborn to change." A grimace came to him when he recalled Bogue somehow getting on the roof and falling off of it, necessitating an emergency infirmary visit. He made a mental note to tell everyone about his personal theory that Bogue Con-Vaart can secretly open small fold gates on his own. Poor guy gets in the hospital at least once every few months.

"Woid?" Heinz lit up at the mention of another friend. "I wanna see him too."

"He's busy. He goes to school, spars, insists on staying at the dorms or the library to read. Sometimes I ask him to come with me to you but he's always walking to his home up in the ruins. I wonder what he does up there."

Heinz furrowed his brows in deep thought. "Dig?"

The mental image of Roid furiously digging through the ruins with nothing but a trowel and his unflappable will made him chortle, and the thought of him cackling maniacally with thunder roaring in the background made him laugh out loud. "Yeah. I think he digs. Do you want me to ask him?"

He nodded. "But why worried, Keif?"

"Hm? Worried about Roid? Why?"

He sighed again, brows crossed together. "No one really knows much about him except me and he's not very expressive. He never talks of a family. I can tell he gets hurt by some pranks, like that one time Morris stole his only pair of glasses, and he usually doesn't say anything. He just stays quiet. If he goes up high in the ruins, what if he slips and falls, breaks his glasses and can't go back to us? He never asks for help, too."

"Keify, is school your home?"

The sudden question almost made Keith do a double take. Since when had Heinz been that perceptive? "Why do you ask?"

"There was storybook. I read my book and I saw how the baby dwagonbird didn't like his house because the daddy dwagonbird was very very mad. Dwagonbird went to school with fwiends and he was so so so so happy and then he said 'home is where heart is', an' I thought, I am home? Because heart is here," he then pointed to his chest and imitated the sound of the throbbing of a heart, "bub bub. Bub bub. Heart is here. In my chest."

"Oh, Heinzy," Keith ruffled his hair and smiled, instantly forgetting about the horrifying implications of a children's storybook, "do you now know what it means?"

"It means it's where you feel ovvers love you!"

Those words sparked something within his soul and brought him a sweetest grin. "Home... is where the heart is." 

His mind drifted back to the academy with his friends and the other knights-in-training. Morris, the happy-go-lucky one that taught him how to hold a sword properly, was around two or three years his senior. He couldn't help but think of the fact that their friendship did not start out well at all, him being the guy that beat him up immediately upon entering the academy, but they grew close over time. Bogue is around a few years his junior. Somehow the hellion wormed his way in his affections despite causing trouble wherever he went. It didn't help that the little guy idolized him maybe a little too much, but he knew that he just needed a little bit of nudging to the right direction. Roid's been the one who'd rescued him from a week in the infirmary after getting roughed up by Morris on his very first day in the school, and also from a second week, had he been in that pile of snow for too long. His very first friend, he'd been there on his painful and hard adjustment to his new life. So this is love?

"Yes, I think it would be my home, Heinzy. But... I love you too, and you make me feel like the most loved person in the world. My home is also with you."

"I love you Keify. I love you so so much."

He kissed his head again and smiled. Thinking he's finally free, he asked, "Can I go now, H-"

"No!" Heinz clung to him again tightly and cried, forgetting everything about their conversation. "Stay! Stay here!"

He was finally let go when the little prince finally fell asleep, and as Keith took the downhill path back to the knights' academy, he gazed back up to the palace wistfully. "Home is where the heart is..."


	2. Just a splash of happiness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's where the background gayness comes in. yes, i ship them.

As soon as Roid shut the window, Keith fell on his bed, his _warm, so warm_ bed. He nuzzled his face on his pillow and rubbed his cold hands together.

As it turns out, the Con-Vaart method of breaking into dorm buildings entailed having a quiet but quick step, strong manual grip, and a persistence in climbing up pipes. Oh, also avoiding the guards roaming around.

 _"I've already found a way to get into your room, but I won't get in your room!"_ Bogue had mentioned the other week with a proud smirk _, "If ever you need to one day, just climb up that wall with the cracks and then jump onto the ledge, follow that pipe, and then break in the window. Trust me! It's my trademark!"_

Keith was so glad he remembered the younger boy's words. He considered himself lucky that night. Lucky to have remembered and lucky to have not been caught. Also lucky that Roid, the goody-two-shoes that he was, was already inside their room. Perhaps even so, that he managed to get his future first loyal soldier in the being of Bogue Con-Vaart, infamous for forcing the academy administration to change security protocols every other week just to counter his mischief. Keith began to wonder whether Bogue's repeated misdemeanors were taken as free security checks, which could be why he hadn't been expelled yet. Come to think of it.

"Thank the stars Bogue told me how to get here that way," Keith said, sitting back up, finding Roid already holding a basin of warm water from their bathroom. How he knew his hands were feeling _that_ cold and painful, Keith didn't know. He set the basin on a chair beside his bed.

"Put your hands in here. I guess they hurt. Warm water should help."

 _Terse as always,_ Keith thought as he put his hands in the water. Comfort washed over his tired and trembling fingers. "Aren't you going to tell on me?"

"No," was the immediate reply, and Roid even avoided eye contact, "I won't tell on anyone as long as it's you." He stood straightened his back and put a fist to his mouth as if to cough, "Well, besides, if, well, um, if I told anyone, I'd also receive demerits. It's self-preservation too."

He chuckled. "You're selfish."

"I just don't like a black mark on my record. And on yours, too, so that's not selfish. This is the second time I rescued you from the snow."

"Hah! Someday I really have to pay you back for getting my poor sorry butt out of stuff."

Roid waved a hand. "No need to do that. Your poor sorry butt being safe is good enough."

"You're so _sweet_ ," Keith said before grinning from ear to ear and splashing Roid with a bit of water. He flexed his fingers and shook his hands, getting his friend a little more wet. Roid proceeded to scoop some water into his hand and throw it at Keith's face.

"I bet you smell like sweat, Keith. Go shower."

"That's not so sweet!" Fighting the urge to _actually_ check if he smelled badly because of all that walking and climbing and muted panic, he removed the scarf around his neck and his sling bag and then set them at the foot of his bed. He then stood up to rifle through his clothes cabinet and pick new clothes for the night. "I'm going to shower a bit."

"Yes, because you smell like sweat and your bed will stink," Roid retorted with a fake scrunching of his nose and laughed at his own joke. "Look fresh before the monitors check. You didn't sign in so they _will_ check here in a few minutes."

"How about I hide in the shower and explain I have a bad headache, which is why I didn't sign?"

"That's if you want to be stuck in the infirmary for half an hour, but I'll come with you." Roid climbed onto his bed to pull on a loose edge on his sheets. "If they come here while you're in there, I'll just tell them you're still showering."

"Thanks." Keith smiled before he slipped into the bathroom to shower as quickly as he could. _Just get the hair wet. Shampoo with conditioner for soft and silky smooth hair. Moisturizing soap on the face and body. Rinse._ He was all done and completely refreshed within fifteen minutes. When he got out fully dressed, the monitors still have not visited. He took one glance around the room to see all his books and notebooks stacked neatly on his desk, his winter boots were already stored in their shoe rack by the door, and the scarf he wore earlier was already on a hanger by their clothes cabinet. He found his friend fanning the soaked part of his pants.

"Hey Roid, I appreciate your efforts. How about you let me clean the room for once this week? I mean, aren't you tired?"

"Sure. I like watching you obsess over sweeping that line of dust that forms at the edge of the dustpan. It's funny seeing you spin around staring at the floor and then muttering every possible insult at it," he joked before he turned to face Keith and wink.

Both of them laughed at each other and at themselves. Keith's mind wandered to that one time he first held a broom and a dustpan and learning from Roid how to use them properly. Growing up a prince didn't exactly help much with his housekeeping skills. Cooking and cleaning were skills he had to learn in such a short time, but he considered himself at least a bit competent, so-and-so, unless it involved roasting. He never spoke of the roasted apple incident.

"Hey, Keith. How's his Heinzness?" His voice broke his wandering thoughts, and Keith was more than glad to answer him with every tiny bit of detail he could recall. Instantly Keith went to sit beside his friend on the bed.

"He's gotten so big!" Keith exclaimed, gesturing with his hands how tall his brother had grown.

Roid blinked in slight disbelief. "That's what you say every-"

"He still begs me to carry him sometimes. Maybe he'll never stop asking me to carry him. He's so sweet too! You know, earlier tonight, I was thinking really deeply, you know how I just space out sometimes, like I enter the void, and then he tugged my rune! He can read my wind!"

Roid unconsciously touched the base of his runes when he heard that.

"He's also a lot clingy now, he likes hugging and squishing me. Today we must have used up dozens of sheets of paper because we were drawing a lot, and then he asked me to teach him how to hold a sword. I taught him the very basics. He's too young for most things. He's got the spirit, you know, I hope he'll be good at swordplay someday, too! I know he would. He's healthy and energetic and we chased each other all day. He's got little legs but he can run fast!"

The proud older brother went on for a few more minutes, babbling nonstop about his baby brother.

"Also, have you heard of this children's story about a dragonbird that, okay this is honestly alarming, but the baby dragonbird seems to have a dysfunctional family, but this is the thing, alright, you know? Heinz said that here must be my home because I always talk about you and he said that home's where the heart is and don't you agree that's pretty deep and insightful? _"_

Roid, who listened to every word he said with utmost attention and patience, nodded in agreement. "He's really smart."

"Oh _yes_ , he is! His tutor mentioned to me that he's a genius. He can already read short stories!"

"And he's so young to boot."

"He's very curious. I had to stop him from eating a fallen apple off the ground." He mirrored his friends horrified grimace. "Yeah, he learned pretty quickly that fallen apples are already rotting. He cried."

"Poor baby boy. You know Keith, you seem so happy having a little brother. I can only really imagine what that feels like."

He placed a gentle hand on his friend's back. "You know, Heinz asked me about you earlier. He said he wants you to visit him soon. In his words," he then switched to a babylike voice, "I wanna see him too."

"You're horrible at acting."

"I know. Oh, he also asked me what you were doing in the ruins. I know you do some research and stuff but I think it would be best if you answered him directly." _I'm really just pushing him to go to the palace, haha_ , he thought to himself   _I'm very smart._

"Oh, it would be interesting to explain my duties to the prince. We'd probably get more attention if a member of the royal family were to know."

"The perks of being my best friend. _Politics._ "

"Haha, airhead, as if I'd use him for my own personal gain. We're just really underfunded now."

"I'm sorry I couldn't personally help you, with all the controversy around me. If things had been better..."

"It's fine. Besides, you have a baby brother I can probably fascinate with all the wonderful things in my..." He petered out and became silent. His head hung and his shoulders drooped. After a while Keith began to rub his best friend's back to comfort him even a little bit.

"You don't have to."

"I love the ruins. I should focus on my profession." He brought his face to a smile again, and faced Keith. Quickly thinking of a tangent to go off to instead of talking about his nonexistent family, he pointed to the window. "So, am I right if I guessed that Heinz didn't let you go and that's why you were late?"

"Yeah. That's it. He's clingy." He sighed and smiled to himself. "I love him."

"He must love you very much too."

"Oh, he said, 'Keif, I love you very very very very very very very very much' and hugged me so tight. He's so cute."

"Aw."

"Whatever did I do to deserve such a sweet baby boy? Roid, I'm worried that he won't let go of me and it'll land me in trouble."

"I can't cover for you all the time."

"Exactly."

Both sat in stupefied silence. Keith's insides lurched at the thought, his mind flying past simple pragmatic love to utter horror. _Am I a good brother if I even thought of distancing myself from Heinz?_ Meanwhile, Roid had a cool look on his face betraying the gears in his brain turning to reach a solution.

"You could make him something that he likes and reminds him of you."

Keith immediately flushed, slowly turning to his friend and grabbing his shoulders. "Thank the stars, you're a genius! Why didn't I think of that!"

"I can sit to hear more."

"Oh dear. What do I make him?" He curled his body and pulled on his hair. "I'm stressed out. He has to receive the best ever gift from me."

"Keith, you don't have to think about it now. Just rest. You had a long day."

Keith abruptly jumped up and fell back on his own bed like a ragdoll. "And I still haven't done much for my essay!" He grabbed a pillow and screamed into it. "I don't want to do it!"

Roid moved towards the desk and retrieved a particular notebook and a pen before tossing it to Keith. "You have no choice. It's a requirement."

"I went here to learn how to be a knight and not be subjected to boring lectures and essays."

"I'd say I also went here for the same reasons and thought the same things."

"You're a nerd though!"

"I suppose you can say that."

"Aaaah! I don't want to do it!"

There were knocks on the door. Roid opened the door and there the hall monitor was.

"Where's Windermere?" The monitor spoke with a severe look. His mouth twitched, momentarily showing the utter ridiculousness of asking that question, even though he actually meant the second prince.

"Windermere is beneath our feet," Roid replied coolly before gesturing to Keith, still yelling curses into his pillow. "This Windermere, whose first name Is Keith Aero, has been procrastinating."

"My dignity!" Keith cried out.

"Why hadn't you signed in the front desk...?" The monitor scanned the prone body on the bed, head to toe. "You look as if you didn't break curfew, too."

Keith stifled a triumphant chuckle before pushing himself up to face the monitor. "Sorry, I forgot." He got up to sign the clipboard the uniformed man held up.

"He's been stressed out about his requirements and he also forgot to eat his lunch and dinner," Roid helpfully pointed out, "I have been trying to convince him to get up and do his homework, but all he's done is take two baths within three hours and cry." He shot his friend a mischievous grin.

"I didn't cry!"

"Monitor, I would like to ask permission to bring him dinner. He is a friend and I care for his well-being."

The man sighed before tearing off a red slip off his board. "Here's the pass. Only you can go. As for you, Windermere," he frowned a little bit, "I'll be one of your masters in the next year, and I don't tolerate procrastination, even if you're the second prince. Or former, as I heard you call yourself."

Keith stood up and saluted. "Yes, master."

The future master left and as soon as he was out of earshot, the blond stared at his friend. "Roid, I couldn't even feel your lying through your runes."

"It's handy a lot of times. You know why."

"Promise me you won't ever lie to me."

Roid smirked, genuine happiness flowing in his wind. "Alright. You are horrible at cooking. That isn't a lie."

Keith's fake glower was enough to make Roid giggle.

"But yes. I won't lie to you. You're my best friend."

"I'm happy to hear that. Just tell me if I'm getting too mean to you, if you need help."

"Thanks. Anyway, I've got to bring you dinner." A weight, invisible to everyone else but not Keith, lifted from Roid, and as he turned to get food for verisimilitude, he flushed privately and smiled.

 


	3. How does one measure your love?

The next day was a holiday in celebration of something Keith didn't bother knowing about. Something about the 75th birth (or was it death?) anniversary of a man he didn't care much about. Who's dead was dead. He did, however, thank Dead Boring History Man for granting him a day off and an opportunity to sleep in the afternoon. 

Ever since entering the Knights' Academy, he had a newfound appreciation for sleep, with the hard training and early mornings of pure anxiety and fatigue. It had come to a point that if he could find a horizontal plane his whole body could fit in, he could fall asleep, except if it were his bed where he'd spend two hours ruminating before suddenly waking up the next morning. It was his personal paradox. An uncomfortable log was better than his own very comfortable mattress.

He spent a few minutes sitting in front of his desk, a mirror propped up against his stack of books, staring intensely at his reflection. His hair, parted at the left, a clump of it too stubborn to stick by his rune; the layers of his haircut untamed even by the comb; his other, shorter rune tucked neatly behind his left ear; his short hair ending right below ear level. He turned his face and examined his eyes, blue like a sunny sky.

Behind him was Roid, gawking at him blankly. He'd watched his friend stare at himself in the mirror for a few long minutes and even though he was sure Keith could see him waving at him with the mirror, there was hardly any reaction. Roid decided to end this uncomfortable silence, even though he himself thrived in quiet solitude. Keith just never shut up like this, he reasoned to himself. So he spoke the words that first crossed his mind. 

"Are you just starting to realize how beautiful you are?"

That snapped Keith out of whatever state he was in. Blinking, his brain scrambled to make sense of what he was just told. His heart and soul jumped out of his body and then forced themselves back, and he swore he saw Roid blanche somewhat.

"Are you okay?" Roid finally approached and put his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

"You've been staring at the mirror for a long time. Are you sure you're fine? Or perhaps you're only realizing how nice you look. You can come with me and buy some hair gel. It can help with latent narcissism. I'd help you pick out what's best for your fine royal hair strands."

"Oh," A little sound of realization made it out, and so he looked back at the mirror. He then crept back on his bed before he said, "I'm not a narcissist, I promise. I just had a thought while I was forcing myself to sleep last night. I was thinking of what you said last week, about making Heinz something. Want to hear my genius lightbulb moment?

"... sure."

"I can make Heinz a plush doll of myself!"

Roid glanced at Keith for a full minute before he took off his broken glasses, held together by tape at the bridge and sheer tenacity to function for its poor owner, and wiped his face with his palm.

"What? I can afford the softest plush!"

"Knowing how you still spin around while sweeping, I doubt you can do it. And yes... you are becoming narcissistic. Why am I surprised."

"Hey!"

"You're beautiful, though, but I have no idea why you just learned of it now. Everyone would fall for you."

"My beauty is one of the most important things about me. I know I have the looks! And I was more bored in the palace than I am now. I learned how to embroider and sew."

"You?" The disbelief was dripping from his word.

"I'm a bastard," he mentioned matter-of-factly, "and no one paid much attention to me."

Roid halted. 

Watching his expression carefully, Keith noted the thoughtful eyes. From what he knew, his friend had been sent against his will to this academy. There was no motivation for him aside from the approval of distant parents who hated his bookish and introverted personality, a feeling he knew painfully well. It was probably fate, them kicked right into this academy, where misfits fit in.

"Hey Roid, I need your help, though," it was his turn to break wandering thoughts, "how... does one make a doll?"

"Measurements. Write down accurate measurements."

"Oh," Keith lied down back on his stomach and hugged his pillow, hiding his mischievous grin, _damn am I really smart_ , "Heinz is like, this big, pillow-big, but I'm not actually sure about accurate measurements."

"And I surmise you want me to go to the palace and bring a tape measure," Roid just sighed, "You really want me to go there."

"Hey," Keith sprang back up, "Heinz really wants to see you, and it's not as if I'm going to make you do something you don't want to do."

"I want to see him too, but I have never visited there on my own and I really don't like being watched."

"Tell Heinz, he'd take care of that for you. I said I didn't really want to be watched and he requested privacy. 'Pwease leave us together!'"

"... please never do that again."

 

**

 

And so Roid went, with a note signed by Keith and a tape measure stuffed in his pocket. He brought nothing else aside from a small bag with his identification papers, his pager, a pen, a book to pass the time, and a notebook. The sage green scarf he wore was not his but Keith's, after the latter insisted he wear his scarf for Heinz' glee. He thankfully got past the guards without much strife like he was anxious about, and headed straight to the prince's quarters where Heinz was.

And upon entering he felt slightly underdressed, wearing only his gray uniform and the woolen scarf. The maidservants were dressed simply elegantly in burgundy dresses and satin aprons, and the prince's tutor was in robes befitting his role. Quietly he sat by the side, trying to avert the gazes. _The illegitimate's son's friend_. Fortunately for him the session ended soon after he entered. As he heard the old teacher that the session was finished, Heinz spared no time to run to the door and jump in place in front of Roid. Heinz was dressed in a bright blue shirt with a small winged mantle, and every time he bounced, the wingtips would move, too. He only stopped bouncing when Roid smiled shyly.

"Hello, your Highness."

"Woid! You visited!" Heinz beamed, runes bright, and when Roid put his book down, he was immediately enveloped in the biggest hug in the world.

"I missed you. Oh! Keif's scarf!" He smiled even more, rubbing the fabric on his face. "Very soft."

"Yes, he said you gave this to him as a gift. He let me wear it today."

"Oh! You share!"

"He wanted me to wear this because it will make you happy."

"I am very happy! Come!" The little toddler suddenly pulled at his wrist, beckoning him to follow. Roid scuttled behind him as he was brought to an inner room where Heinz' bed was. A short glance let him notice the neat room. All toys were inside big chests whose lids Heinz could easily unlock and push upwards. The bed itself had a canopy with the four holy wings, with a curtain at the foot of the bed to give privacy to the toddler prince. Several crayon pictures were hung on the walls, and as Roid scrutinized them more closely, he found crude pictures of snowy mountains, too many apples to count, and the Windermere brothers. He almost laughed when he saw several pictures of Keith with a circular face, spaghetti hair, and a silly smiley face. One picture caught his eye, a drawing of a stick figure with blue spaghetti as hair and comically large glasses with 'Roid' scribbled nearby. There was even an arrow pointing from his name to his stick figure. Stick Roid was holding a giant blue book. 'I miss him very much' was scribbled underneath, and it crushed his heart. _I really should have visited when Keith told me to,_ he thought. _The last time I visited was last year._

"Woid!" Heinz climbed up the bed and tapped the space beside him, encouraging his friend to sit. "Keif told me, if you visit me, we need to be here! You don't like eyes, Keif said."

The last sentence didn't make sense to him until it clicked that, somehow, his friend had already thought of his anxiety with being watched, and discreetly told Heinz. "That's really nice of him."

"He really loves you, Woid! He says nice things about you. I love you too!" Heinz wrapped his arms around him and snuggled close, and at that instant Roid realized exactly why Keith could never stop gushing about him. That sensation of being loved, the warm happiness radiating out of this little boy was boundless, and it made his being unburdened, at least temporarily. His mind let go of the anxieties, the memories of barely a childhood, the utter disappointment. This child was just full of joy and positivity that it was hard for him to even think of his depressing life. He let himself hug him back, however awkward it first felt. As Heinz let go, he let go. 

"I'm so so so so so happy you're here! I have some questions!"

"Like what, your Highness?"

"Umm, what do you do in the ruins? Over there?" He pointed to a space in the wall, the general direction of the Protoculture ruins within a mountain basin. He recalled that his Keith had mentioned this curiosity, and so Roid had a great time explaining his academic profession, studying the ruins and the research he did that held him back a year at the Academy, studying the heritage left to Windermere and documenting whatever they could find, keeping the sanctity of the place intact by guarding the remains of their Protoculture ancestors and all Wind Singers, and the like. Heinz listened intently, something Roid never expected from a young child, and even asked many questions. At the end it was informative and enjoyable for the two of them, and Heinz ended with a hug and a lovely, "Woid, you're so smart! Keif said he likes how smart you are."

"I'm happy he thinks that about me. I like how nice and determined he is. He has a beautiful wind."

"You have a pwetty wind, too."

Roid meekly scratched his head. "Really?"

"You're very smart and hanssome. I like you!"

Innocent words and genuine love immediately filled his heart with funny fuzzy feelings. "I'm honored, your Highness. May I ask to take your measurements, too? You see," he made sure to flash Heinz a wink, "Keith has a surprise for you and wants me to measure you."

Heinz let out a loud squeal of excitement before jumping up and holding his arms up. "Keif has a surprise!"

"Don't tell him I told you, okay?"

"Okay! Secret!" He giggled, hands over his mouth.

Roid got the measurements quickly, and as soon as he set his pen down, Heinz grabbed it.

"Woid? Are you good with numbers?"

"Well, I think so. Why?"

"Can you help me with my homework? I don't like my teacher! He does this when I get an answer wrong," he pouted and slapped the pen on his arm. Gasping, Roid  immediately checked his arms and wrists. _Good winds_ , he thought, _Keith would murder someone if he knew about this_. Thankfully, there were no bruises, and his worries lifted.

"Of course, your Highness. I'll help you. What is hard for you?"

Heinz sprinted to one of the chests and fished out a math book and some paper and pencils. He dashed back to his friend holding them. "I don't like... vivision."

"Division. Alright, let's review."


End file.
